Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Social Technologies Summit

Back in my home-sweet-home and madly preparing for my third cross-Atlantic trip in as many weeks, I'm really pleased to announce my upcoming role as Mistress of Ceremonies for the Social Technologies Summit at Futuresonic 2007 next week in Manchester.

This is the first time I'll be taking on more of a curatorial role, and am very excited about the stellar line-up we've organised. Check it out:

Leading figures from around the world are converging on Manchester for Use Your Imagination, a unique one-day event presented by Imagination@Lancaster, Lancaster University's new interdisciplinary research institute, as a part of the Social Technologies Summit and Futuresonic 2007 Urban Festival of Art, Music and Ideas.

The event sets out to :

Inspire people with the possibilities of interdisciplinary collaboration

Introduce artists, designers, social researchers, activists, engineers and computer scientists to what excites each other

Working in partnership with the Manchester-based Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and Creative Concern, Futuresonic and FutureEverything are launching a 3 year project addressing the sustainability of future arts and culture. The project will seek to minimise the environmental impact of the Futuresonic festival (including travel to and from the event!) and also to explore broader issues connecting Futuresonic's interest in mobile and social technologies with the new urgency surrounding climate change.

Today's digital culture promotes an always-on internet that can be accessed anywhere, while on the move. How can free and open source hardware help minimise the environmental burden of the technology we use, and how can thinking about new technologies be harnessed to improve our stewardship of the environment?

There is today a grass roots open source movement that is sweeping across Brazil like wild fire and captivating the world's imagination. Futuresonic 2007 invites leading figures from Brazil and around the world to participate in a high profile conference session on this movement.

Dr. Anne Galloway

Drawing from a background in the social sciences, I'm interested in connections between material, spatial and cultural practices. My current research critically investigates new technologies in terms of embodied practice, material, visual and discursive culture.

My teaching interests and experience include social studies of science and technology, art and design research, material culture studies, cultural theory and qualitative research methods. I currently teach courses in VUW School of Design's Culture+Context programme.

You can find loads of images and links at plsj field notes, and I like listening to last.fm while I write. Otherwise, I love reading comics and graphic novels; I prefer my ale bitter or pale; I believe my cat Enid Coleslaw is the best cat in the world; and I think that the coolest superhero power is shape-shifting.